Indian healthcare ailing from lack of vital statistics: Expert

Having come to Chennai recently to promote the adoption of wellness in the workplace, the doctor who hails from Erode, sees huge gaps in the domestic healthcare sector. With stints in Tata Tea and the World Health Organisation nearly 15 years ago, his current mission is to collaborate and draw lessons from India which can be replicated in public health care systems in the UK. As director since 2013, he has been leading the transformation of public health functions within the council that has a budget of 90 million pounds, covering a population of about 1.2 mn. Excerpts from an interview:

Avenues to contribute to India is what led me to take part as a key stakeholder in the workshop organised by the Chennai-based Quality Health. I firmly believe that well-being programmes have significantly improved healthcare delivery across the UK, especially workplace wellness. About a decade ago, UK spent 100 bn pounds, (the GDP of Portugal) on healthcare, as 11 per cent of man days were lost on account of loss of productivity due to health reasons. Of this, 90 per cent was presentism – but those who were not at their best. Mental wellbeing issues (stress) were the main cause coupled with muscular skeletal issues. 

Corporate willingness to address workplace wellness has to come at the Board level. There is a dire need to embrace AYUSH – leverage the power of tradition and healing. Rather than thinking of replacing allopathy, they should complement one another. India is rich when it comes to social capital. That needs to be leveraged in advanced countries and at a time, when technology -related healthcare challenges are more pronounced in youth. What UK can learn from India is on the local community infrastructure, where India is a champion. TN is still the best when it comes to healthcare. We need to develop a comprehensive workplace wellness programme for working-age people. That is where I see a strategic gap that can be plugged by promoting well-being systems. 

While the national health initiatives are laudable, it is the lack of data that is a worrisome factor. This has been a barrier as far as the domestic healthcare is concerned, given the huge variations between urban and rural healthcare. Even in a metro like Chennai, the quality of care is different in Adyar when compared to central Chennai. 

The outcomes of diabetes in the two regions vary due to multiple reasons including genetics. In this context, innovative healthcare will help. Data when it comes to billing is available and healthcare professionals are conversant with balance sheets. But if one seeks data for strokes or such statistical information, India is found wanting. 

Technology to empower patients, for instance, is robust in the UK and that is something that can be latched on immediately through Indo-UK collaborations on the digital front. A broader policy agency is necessary that will look at improving air quality, education, good water, electricity and internet bandwidth, among others that will offer wellness systems. Political will is needed from an actionable perspective.  Integration of education, industrial development and healthcare through the implementation of a national health policy is the mantra. This is a strong point in the UK, where apart from education and defence, health is accorded top priority.

Clinical leadership and governance are paramount – right care to the right person at the right time in the right place. 

Basic primary care is available in a government hospital, but the demand is so huge that to cope with it, primary care has to be strengthened. Emergence of insurance policies is encouraging as well.